Drill rig



J. E. FEUCHT Oct. 15, 1968 DRILL RIG 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 rlled Aug.

INVENTQQ lacca E. Fez/cnr w,- 5 Tu'u ATTQRNEYS Oct. 15, 1968 E. FEUCHT 3,405,768

DRILL RIG Filed Aug. 8, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 N T35 K5? N da con E. Fte-06H7- ATT'OENEYS Oct. l5, 1968 J. E. FEUCHT DRILL RIG 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 8. 1967 ATTOZNEY J. E. FEUCHT 3,405,758

DRILL RIG 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Oct. '15, 196s Filed Aug. a, 1967 United States Patent O 3,405,768 DRILL RIG A Jacob E. Feucht, Sidney, Ohio, assignor to Westinghouse Air Brake Company, Wilmerding, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Aug. 8, 1967, Ser. No. 659,228 18 Claims. (Cl. 173-52) ABSTRACT F rIHE DISCLOSURE A rig adapted for mounting on a tractor or similar carrier vehicle and operable to drill anchor bolt or tie rod holes along the side edge of an existing concrete strip or the like for facilitating anchorage of an adjacent strip.

Background In the construction field, it is common practice to anchor newly laid concrete slabs or strips to adjacent existing slabs as by means of tie rods or anchor bolts in order to maintain surface continuity and prevent shifting or settling of one of the slabs relative to the other. Such practice is being followed extensively in the construction and expansion of highways and roadways.

In order to secure the tie rods or anchor bolts to the existing slabs or strips, it is necessary to drill a succession of holes in the side edge of the concrete strip along which the new extension strip is to be laid, the rods or bolts then being secured within these drilled holes.

To date, it has been customary to drill these tie rod or anchor bolt holes singly and in succession by means of percussive drills manipulated manually by an operator, and this has resulted in an extremely tedious, hazardous and time-consuming task requiring skilled operators for manipulating the drills.

Summary It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved drill rig which obviates the aforesaid disadvantages, and which maybe employed to expediently and expeditiously accomplish the job of drilling these tie rod or anchor bolt holes.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved mobile assemblage for drilling holes along the side edges of concrete strips which greatly reduces the manpower previously required for such purpose and which furthermore minimizes the hazards attendant the drilling operations.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved drill rig which is readily attachable to a tractor or similar mobile carrier for transporting the same, and which may employ a plurality of drills adapted for simultaneous operation under the control of a single operator for drilling spaced anchor bolt holes in concrete.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved mobile drill assemblage for forming anchor bolt holes in concrete which is readily transportable to and from the job as well as along the concrete strip to be worked upon, and which includes novel means for supporting the drills in operative drilling, tram or storage positions as selected by the operator.

In accordance with the present invention, a drill rig is provided which comprises, a main frame attachable to a mobile carrier and having an arm extending laterally therefrom, a drill support Swingably suspended from the arm of the main frame, a drill mounted for sliding movement along the drill support, and power means connected between the arm of the main frame and the drill support and operable to swing the drill support selectively to an approximately horizontal tram and drilling position and to an angular raised storage position.

3,405,768 Patented Oct. 15, 1968 lCC These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.

The drawings A clear conception of the several features constituting the present improvements, and of the construction and operation of a typical tractor mounted drill rig embodying the invention, may be had by referring to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specication wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various views.

FIGURE l is a plan view of a typical drill rig embodying the invention and illustrating the same as attached to a tractor which is shown in outline by means of broken lines;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation showing the drill and drill support frame in tramming position and with the tractor again illustrated by means of broken lines;

FIGURE 3 is a similar elevational view but with the drill and drill support shown in drilling position;

FIGURE 4 is another front elevational view of the device but showing the drill and drill support swung to storage and/ or travel position;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation of the assemblage; and

FIGURE 6 is a front elevation of a slightly modied drill rig also embodying the invention and showing the drills and drill support in drilling position, the tractor on which the rig is mounted again being shown by means of broken lines.

Detailed description While the improved drill rig has been shown and described herein as being mounted on a typical tractor as the carrier vehicle and as embodying a pair of drills mounted on a common support for drilling anchor bolt holes simultaneously at spaced points along the longitudinal side edge of an existing highway strip, it is not desired or intended to thereby unnecessarily limit the invention either to the specific structure or to the particular applications herein illustrated since Various modications within the scope of the appended claims may occur to persons skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. It is also contemplated that certain specic descriptive terminology used herein shall be given the broadest possible interpretation consistent with the disclosure.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus shown therein as embodying the invention is illustrated as being mounted on a tractor generally designated by the numeral 10, and is furthermore illustrated as operating on an existing concrete highway strip 12 for the purpose of drilling holes 16 along the side edge 14 thereof at spaced intervals to provide for the reception of tie rods or ancher bolts 18.

The improved device embodies generally a frame 20 attachable to the carrier 10 which is movable under the direction of an operator along the top surface of the strip 12, the frame 20 having an arm 22 extending laterally from the carrier 10 so as to overhang the edge 14 of the highway strip. Swingably suspended from the arm 22 of the frame 20 is a drill support 24, and this drill support 24 also extends laterally from the carrier 10' below the arm 22 so as to overhang the edge 14 of the strip 12. The drill support 24 has one or more drills 26 mounted for sliding movement therealong, and in the embodiment shown, the drill support 24 includes a cross-piece 28 having a pair of spaced drill supporting arms 30 projecting laterally therefrom, each of the arms 30 having a drill 26 slidably mounted thereon. To swing the drill support 24 selectively to various desired positions, power means, shown herein as an extendible lluid power cylinder-ram unit 32, is connected between the arm 22 of the frame 20 and the drill support 24. As will hereinafter appear, the

power meansl 32 is operable to'v swing the drill support 24 Y,

to and from a drilling position, as shown in FIGURE 3, wherein the support 24 is seated on the top surface of the highway strip 12 with the drills 26 directed toward the side edge 14, and to and from either a tramming position, as shown in FIGURE 2, wherein the drill is withdrawn from the strip side edge 14 with the drill support 24 raised from the top surface of the strip 12 or a storage and/or travel position, as shown in FIGURE 4, wherein the drills 26 and the support 24 are swung to an angular raised position entirely above the plane of the surface over which the carrier is movable.

The frame which provides the mounting structure for the drill rig is attachable in a suitable manner, as by means of a bracket structure 34, to the undercarriage or frame of the tractor or carrying vehicle 10, and the cylinder 36 of the power unit 32 is pivotally attached, as at 38, to the outer end of the frame arm 22 with the extendable piston 40 of the power unit being pivotally attached, as at 42, to the drill support 24 inwardly of the pivot 38. In turn, the drill support 24 is swingably suspended at spaced locations from both the arm 22 and from the undercarriage of the carrier 10. Such suspension means is shown as comprising a pair of flexible cables or chains 44 each secured at one end to a cross-piece 46 which is secured to the arm 22 adjacent the power unit 32 and at the opposite end to one of the drill carrying arms 30, and a iiexible cable or chain 48 secured at one end to a bracket 50 on the carrier 10 and at the other end to the drill support 24 remote from' the power unit 32. Thus, the chains 44, 48 provide flexible links for swingably suspending the drill support 24 which permits the power unit 32 to position the drill support during the normal drilling cycle either in drilling position las in FIGURE 3 with the cylinder-ram unit 32 fully extended or in tram position as shown in FIGURE 2 with the cylinder-ram unit 32 only partially extended.

The frame 20 is also provided with a stabilizing member cooperable with the drill support, and this stabilizer is shown as comprising an arm 52 pivotally secured as at 54 to the frame 20, the end of the arm 52 remote from its pivotal connection 54 being cooperable with the drill support 24 to stabilize and guide the same in its movement. For this purpose, the drill support 24 is provided with an upright member in the nature of a short upstanding pipe stud 56 or the like secured to the support 24 adjacent the cross-piece 28 and the ram connection 42. In turn, the stabilizing arm 52 has a pair of channel guide members 58 secured thereto as by means of lugs 60, and the upright member 56 of the drill support is slidably conlined between these guides 58 to thereby maintain the drill support 24 in parallel alignment with the stabilizing arm 52 and the frame arm 22.

Rigidly secured to the channel member guides 58 and depending therefrom remote from the pivotal connection 54 is a lug 62, and this lug forms a stop cooperable with the cross member 28 of the drill support 24 upon cornplete retraction of the power unit 32 to cause the drill support 24 to be swung to an angular raised position, as shown in FIGURE 4. In this position, the drill support 24 is not only raised from engagement with the concrete highway strip 12, but the entire drill rig, including the drill assemblies 26 and their attendant parts, are raised clear of the highway or ground to thereby permit travel and/ or storage of the carrier vehicle and drill assemblage.

Also, for additional stabilization and securement of the drill rig in its drilling position, as shown in FIGURE 3, and in its over the highway tram 0r travel and storage position, as shown in FIGURE 4, provision is made for linking the drill support 24 and the arm 22 of frame 20. As shown, this linkage may conveniently consist of a pair of upright channel members 64 rigidly secured at the lower ends thereof to the guide members 58. In the drilling or tram positions of FIGURES 2 and 3, this channel iron support 64 is adapted-to be keyed, as by a pin 66 to a depending lug 68 secured to the arm 22 of theframe20 to thereby limit movement of the drill support 24 between the tram and drilling positions of FIGURES 2 and 3, and provision may also be made to key the upright member 56 to the lower end of the channel iron support 64, as by means of a pin 70 in the tram position of FIG- URE 2 is desired. When the drill rig is to be raised tothe travel and storage position of FIGURE 4, it is, of course, necessary to remove the upper key pin 66 to 'thereby permit the channel support 64 to move past the frame arm 22 to the position shown in FIGURE 4 whereupon the pin 66 may ybe reinserted in its receiving hole to thereby span the arm 22 of frame 20. Inthis travel and storage position, the key pin 70 is again inserted through the member or lug 56, and the rig is thus locked in its fully raised travel position.

The drills 26 may be of the usual percussive type used in drilling rock or masonry and commonly referred to in the art as hand sinker drillsA Thes drills 26 are mounted to extend parallel with and below the respective arms 30 of the drill support 24 as by means of cylindrical sleeves 72 slidable along the support arms 30, the drill 26 in each instance having its body portion 74 secured to its respective sleeve 72 as 'by means of rigid connecting struts 76, 78. The strut 78, in each instance, projects upwardly above its respective sleeve 72 and is connected to the outer end of the extendable piston 82 of a uid power unit 80. Thus, the drills 26 are fed by iiuid power means along the support arms 30 into and out of the work which is, in this case, the side edge 14 of the highway strip 12. At the same time, the drill steel 84 of each drill assembly 26 is rapidly reciprocated during operation in a customary manner, and to guide the drill steels 82 in their movement, a centralizer 86 is provided on each support arm 30 for supporting the drill steel of the respective drill 26, the drill steel centralizers 86 also being used to abut on the side edge 14 of the concrete highway 12 to provide a means for regulating the depth of the holes 16 being drilled as well as to position the drills squarely with respect to the edge 14.

The drill support 24 is preferably also provided with leveling pads 88, 90 to thus provide for locating the support 24 so that the holes 16 will be drilled parallel to the highway surface and at a specific uniform distance from the surface. These pads 88, 90 may be made adjustable, if desired, and they may be replaced by rollers or casters. In addition, the drills 26 may be provided with depth stops for maintaining uniformity in depth of the holes drilled, and a measuring wheel assemblage 92 may be mounted at a convenient location visible to the operator for determining proper uniform tramming distance between successive sets of holes.

Referring now to FIG. 6, the drill rig shown therein is basically the same as that hereinabove described with reference to FIGURES l through 5. However, in the embodiment of FIGURE 6, the drill support has been shortened and is suspended entirely from the main support frame. Accordingly, the device is self-contained, and the need -for attachment of the drill support to the carrier is eliminated.

Again, the modified version of the improved drill rig comprises a frame attachable to the carrier 110, and the frame 120 has an arm 122 extending laterally from the carrier and overhanging the edge of the highway strip. In turn, a drill support 124 is swingably suspended from the arm 122 so as to extend laterally from the carrier 110 below the arm 122 and overhang the edge 114 of the highway strip 112. However, in this case, the suspension means for the drill support is different vthan hereinabove described in that the drill support 124 is`suspended entirely from the frame 120 by chains or cables 144 and has no independent attachment to the tractor or other carrier. The suspension chain links 144 are again secured at one end to cross-piece 146 carried .by the arm 122 inwardly of and adjacent the upper end of the power unit 132 and are each secured at their opposite end to a drill carrying arm 130 outwardly of and adjacent the lower end of power unit 132. However, as distinguished from the assemblage of FIGURES l to 5, the suspension pivot chain link between the undercarriage of the tractor and the drill support is eliminated and has been replaced by a depending fulcrum abutment 192 on the frame 120 cooperable with a pad 194 on the drill support 124.

Thus, with the cylinder-piston unit in fully extended condition, as shown in FIGURE 6, the drill support 124 is forcibly seated against the highway strip 112 with the drill steel centralizers 186 abutting the side edge 114 with the drills 174 in drilling position. Upon partial retraction of the piston 140, the drill support 124 is swung through the chain suspensions to tramming position outwardly of and above the highway strip 112. Full retraction of the piston 140 within the cylinder 136 acts to swing the drill support 124 through the chain suspensions 144 to a still higher inclined position for highway travel and/ or storage, and in the present instance, the depending fulcrum abutment 192 provided on the frame 120 is contacted by the pad 194 on the inner end of the drill support 124 to provide a point about which the support 124 pivots when the power piston 140 is retracted as shown by means of broken lines.

The drill rig of FIGURE 6 has also been slightly modied in the manner in which the drills 174 have been mounted to provide greater exibility. For example, the drills 174 have been mounted at their rear or outer ends in rubber grommets, and the feed device 180 has been located below the drill supporting -arms 130 and above the respective drills. Also, a depth limit device 196 has been shown for limiting the drilling depth for each drill.

Since the power unit 32, 132 for swinging the drill support 24, 124 to its different positions and power unit 80, 180 for feeding the drill 74, 174 into the work may be iluid actuated cylinder-piston units of conventional design, it believed unnecessary to describe their operation except to say that they are double-acting. Likewise, since the drills 74, 174 are of conventional construction, it is believed unnecessary to describe these devices in detail. It is, of course, important that the power lift cylinder-piston unit 32, 132 be mounted at an angle directed downwardly and inwardly so as to simultaneously lift the drill frame on support 24, 124 and pull it away from the edge of the highway strip 12, 112 while pushing the centralizer pads 86, 186 toward and against the edge 14, 114 of the highway strip on the reverse cycle. It is apparent from the foregoing, that the carrier vehicle 10, 110 can be moved accurately along the highway strip from one drilling position to another when the rig is in tramming position as shown in FIGURE 2, the measuring wheel shown in FIG- URE 5 serving to guide the operator in gauging distance during such tramming movement. The pivot chains 44, 48 of FIGURES 1 to 5 and chains 144 of FIGURE 6 should preferably 'be of a length which will permit the drill support to contact the highway surface through an arc of about 45 after which the lifting action takes place upon retraction of the power unit 32, 132. This provides positive locating along the highway surface when in drilling position and also insures road clearance in the tramming position. Of course, provision should also preferably be made to set the brakes of the carrier 10, 110 when the rig is in drilling position, and this can be accomplished by means of an air cylinder which is operated from the same Icontrol valve as that which operates the lift cylinder. Also, suitable provision may be made to prevent the loss of pins 66, 70 of FIGURES 1 to 5 Vand 166, 170 of FIGURE 6, and this may be accomplished conveniently as by means of chains 148 as shown in FIGURE 6 wherein the upper chain is secured to pin 166 for holding the stabilizing arm 152 to the frame 120 and the lower chain 148 is secured to the pin 170 which indexes the member 158 to the drill support 124.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

I claim: v

1. Apparatus for drilling holes at spaced intervals along the side edge of a concrete strip orthe like comprising, a frame attachable to a carrier movable along the top surface of the strip andhaving an arm extending laterally from the carrier, a drill support swingably suspended from the arm of said frame and also extending laterally from the carrier, a drill mounted for sliding movement along the drill support, and power means connected between the arm of said frame and said drill support and operable to swing said drill support selectivelyto drilling position wherein said drill support is seated on the top surface of the strip with the drill directed toward the edge thereof and to tramming position ywherein the drill is withdrawn from the work and the drill support is raised from the top surface of the strip to permit unobstructed movement of the carrier therealong.

2. Drilling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein means cooperably associated with the power means is additionally provided for swinging the drill support to an angular raised position wherein both the drill and the support are positioned above the surface over which the carrier is movable.

3. Drilling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the frame is attachable to the undercarriage of the carrier and the drill support is swingably suspended at spaced locations from both the arm of the frame and the undercarriage of the carrier.

4. Drilling apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the suspension means for the drill support comprises a pair of llexible cable-like links, one of which is secured to the arm of the frame inwardly of and adjacent `to the powermeans and the other of which is secured to the carrier remote from the power means.

5. Drilling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drill support includes a plurality of parallel drill carrying arms, each of which has a drill mounted thereon for sliding movement therealong.

6. Drilling apparatus according to claim 5, wherein each of the drills is provided with a drill feed motor mounted on its respective drill carrying arm and operable to advance and retract the drills along said arms and toward and away from the work.

7. Drilling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power means is an extendable cylinder-piston unit having one end therefore pivotally secured to the arm of the frame and the other end pivotally secured to the drill support.

8. Drilling apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the cylinder is pivotally secured at its end to the extreme outer end of the frame arm and the extendable end of the piston is pivotally secured to the drill support inwardly of the point of securement of the cylinder.

9. Drilling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the frame also includes a stabilizing member cooperable with the drill support for positioning the same.

10. Drilling apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the stabilizing member comprises a stabilizing arm pivotally secured at one end to the frame and having its free end cooperable with the drill support.

11. Drilling apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the free end of the stabilizing arm has a stop engagable by the drill support upon movement thereof by the power means to swing said stabilizing arm and permit swinging movement of the drill support to an angular raised position.

12. Drilling means according to claim 1, wherein the frame is attachable to the undercarriage of the carrier with the power means being pivotally secured between the frame and drill support to exert force at an inwardly and downwardly directed angle and the drill support is swingably suspended from the a'rm of the frame so as to intersect the plane of movement of the power means.

13. Drilling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein.

a depending abutment is provided on the frame forming a fulcrum/ for the drill support upon operation of the power means to raise the'drill support.

141 Drilling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a ground engaging 'wheel is mounted on the frame for measuring 'the' distance traversed by the carrier during tramming'. Y

v15. Drilling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein means is provided for limiting the depth of the drilling operation.

16. Drillingappa'ratus according to claim 1, wherein the power means is connected to the drill support at a location inwardly of its connection to the arm of the frame so as to` transmit its force downwardly and inwardly to the drill support in its drilling position and thereby firmlyr urge said' drill support to seated position against the top surface of the concrete strip while holding the drill in lixed position against the side edge of the strip.

17. Drilling apparatus according to claim 1, whereinthe drill support is swingably suspended from the arm of the frame by flexible suspension means permitting simultaneous horizontal and vertical movement of the drill support upon operation of the power means'.

18. Drilling apparatus accordingto claim 17,V wherein" the power means isharranged and connected betweenlthe frame and the drill support in a manner whereby it applies its force at an angle toward and away the top surface of theside edge of the lhighv/ay strip.

u y References Cited i UNITED STATES' PATENTS*L A t 6/.1966 Lindgren f r173--,5'2*X NILE C. BYERSLJRA., Primary Examiner. i i 

